Rail sanding device



Apfilfls, 1939. B, S, AIKMAN RAIL SANDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV. 24, 1937 AmmE-/s INVENTOR BURTON5-A|KMAN M BY W A 'will ATTORNEY April 18, 1939. B. s, AIKMAN RAIL SANDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 24, 1957 lll INVENTOR BURTON s AlK MAN 73 ?o 8| 72 TQ 107 ATTORNEY j Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNi'i'E-.D STATES RAIL. SANDlNG BEWICE Appiication November 24, 1937, Serial No. 1765.85

9 Claims.

This invention relates to sanding devices, and more particularly to a iiuid pressure controlled rail sanding device for a railway vehicle.

It has been found that with the conventional vtype of vehicle carried rail sanding device embodying a sand pipe suspended in front of a wheel for discharging a stream of sand upon the rail to prevent sliding of the wheel when the brakes are applied, it is not always possible to deposit an adequate amount of sand upon the rail, because of the tendency of the sand grains to strike the rail and bounce off or blow away, particularly when the vehicle is moving at a high speed. It is an object of my invention to provide improved rail sanding means operative to place the desired amount of sand on the rail in such a manner that undesired scattering of the sand is prevented, and which will function properly regardless of the speed at which the vehicle is operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle carried sanding device operative to deposit a continuous ribbon or layer of sand on a rail when desired and while the vehicle is in motion, and embodying means for preventing loss of sand while the vehicle is at rest.

A further object is to provide a rail sanding device comprising a movable sand pipe carrying a sand-forming or sand-laying shoe adapted to be lowered into engagement with the rail for arranging sand supplied through the pipe .along the rail in a continuous layer of predetermined thickness.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent 5 in the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional View of one `form of sanding apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of the same apparatus shown in the sanding position thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 oiFig. l;

Fig. i is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on 5 5 of Fig. i; and

Figs. 6 and '7 are sectional views illustrating in diiierent positions a modified form of sanding apparatus embodying the invention.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, there is provided a casing l0, which may be mounted on the line has provided therein a sand hopper Il, a chamber i2 formed beneath the hopper l! and communicating therewith by way oi .an opening i3, and an elbow-shaped discharge passageway I4 extending from the chamber i2 through a substantially vertically disposed tubular portion l5. The casing i!) has a bore il within which is mounted a plug member i3 having screwthreaded engagement with the casing. The member iii has a central chamber i Si which communicates with a fluid pressure supply pipe 20 and with the bore li, and which is also connected with a restricted discharge passage 2| formed in a nozzle portion 22 of themember I8. yThe nozzle portion 22 projects into the sand chamber l2 toward an inclined wall 24 disposed adjacent the passageway it.

The sanding device is associated with suitable fluid pressure supply means, which may comprise a reservoir 2 and a sanding valve device 28. The sanding valve device 28 may be of any v desired type, and as illustrated in Fig. l includes a normally seated valve 2S movable away-from its seat through the medium of a plunger 30 for supplying iiuid under pressure from the reservoir 2i to the pipe 2li. f

According to the invention, a movable tubular member 32 is provided, the upper end of which surrounds and slidably engages the tubular portion l5 ci the casing it and terminates in an annular piston portion 33, which is interposed between the tubular portion and a sleeve portion 313 of the casing and has at the upper side thereof a pressure chamber 35 communicating by way of a passage 36 with the bore il. For preventing leakage oi fluid under pressure from the chamber 35 the piston portion 33 is provided with an annular sealing member 33, which is interposed between the tubular portion i5 and the sleeve portion 34 of the casing. Forlimit- 40 ing downward movement of the piston Vportieri 33 a pluraiity of inwardly extending stop pins 39 are secured to the sleeve portion 34 adjacent its lower end.

The lower portion of the vertically disposed tubular member 32 is slidably guided in an annular portion ill carried by an inclined strut arm 62, the upper end ci which is secured to the casing i9 by means of bolts d3. Interposed between the annular portion d! of the stationary bracket arm and the piston portion 33 of the tubular member is a coil spring 45, which is adapted to urge the member upwardly to the normal position as shown in Fig. l. A collar 46 formed on the tubular member 32 is adapted to engage the lower face of the annular portion 4I for limiting upward movement of the member,

' which is prevented from rotating with respect to vto the associated elements by a longitudinally disposed bead 47 formed on the tubular member and fitted within a suitable groove formed in the annular portion 4I.

' Mounted on the lowermost portion of the tubular member 32 is a shoe nozzle or sanding shoe 50, which is adapted to be lowered into sliding engagement with the rail 5I for suitably forming into a layer the sand deposited thereon in advance of the wheel 52 as hereinafter explained. The sanding shoe 50 may be made of any suitable material, such as a tough, resilient rubber composition, and comprises a body portion 53 having a circular opening 54 and adapted to t snugly over the end of the tubular member 32 adjacent the collar 46, and an elongated trailing portion 55 `extending at a right angle with respect to the axis of the cylindrical portion, the lowersurface of the shoe being disposed parallel to the rail 5I as shown in the drawings.

With the sanding shoe 59 abutting the collar 46 and Securedto the tubular member 32 by suitable means such as the pin 51, the lower face of the shoe extends beyond'the tubular member and is thus adapted for sealing engagement with the rail 5I. Formed in this sealing face within the trailing portion 55 of the shoe is a horizontally disposed'grocve or channel 58, the walls of which are slightly tapered toward the open end of the trailing portion, which is disposed adjacent the wheel 52. The sanding shoe 59 is also provided with an inclined leading face 59 for'enabling the shoe to ride over uneven rail joints or the like. A longitudinally disposed rib Si! is formed on the upper side of the trailing portion 55 for insuring sucient rigidity.

When the vehicle is traveling along the 'tracks with the brakes released, the sanding device is maintained in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the tubular member 32 and the sanding shoe 50 carried thereby being urged upwardly and away from the rail 5I by the force of the'spring 45. It will be noted that a certain quantity of sand supplied from the hopper Il isrnormally retained in the chamber I2 by the inclined wall 24..

In operation, when it is desired to applyV sand to the rail in order to increase the effectiveness' 0f an application of the brakes or 'for any other reason, the operator may depress the plunger 39 of the sanding valve device 28 to its lowermost position for unseating the supply valve 29. VWith the valve 29 unseated, uid under pressure is supplied from the reservoir 21 through the pipe 20 to the chamber I9 within the sanding device, and thence through the bore I 'I and passage 36 to the piston chamber 35. The pressure of fluid acting in the piston chamber against the piston 33 quickly overcomes the force of the spring and causes the tubular member 32 and the sanding shoe to be moved downwardly until the shoe engages the rail 5I in advance of the wheel 52, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. At the same time, uid under pressure supplied from the chamber I9 through the restricted passage 2| in the nozzle 22 is forced through the sand con-Y tained in the chamber I2, the sand being carried by the fluid stream over the inclined wall 24 and through thepassageway I4 and the tubular member 32 to the track 5I. It will be apparent that the sand is thus deposited on the rail 5I within the. circular opening 54 of the *sanding shoe 5D,

which as it advances along the rail toward the left-hand, as viewed in the drawings, forms the sand into a continuous ribbon or layer which issues from the open end of the trailing portion at the rear or" the shoe in the path of the wheel 52. It will thus be seen that, regardless of the speed at which the vehicle is moving, substantially all of the sand supplied through the pasl sageway I4 and the tubular member 32 is deposited on the top of the rail 5I in a layer of a thickness determined by the size of the channel 58 in the trailing portion 55 of the sanding shoe,

so that the sand is prevented from leaving the rail 5I before being overridden by the Wheel 52. Substantially all of the sand therefore becomes effective to increase the adhesion of the wheel on the rail.

When the operator desires to discontinue the supply of sand to the rail, he releases the plunger 30 of the sanding Valve device 23, thereby effecting return of valve 23 to seated position for cutting oir further flow of fluid under pressure through the pipe 29 to the sanding apparatus. The blowing of sand'over the wall 24 thus ceases,

while the reduction of fluid pressure in the piston chamber 35 permits the spring 45 to move the tubular member 32 and shoe 53 into the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 6 of the drawings, the invention is disclosed in a different form embodied in a sanding apparatus which comprises a sand hopper having downwardly extending tubular portion 65 surrounded for a portion of its length by a concentrically disposed sleeve portion 67, and

a movable tubular member 69 having one end tted within the sleeve portion and in sliding engagement with the tubular portion 56. The lower end of the tubular member 69 extends through an annular guide portion 'I3 of a strut member 1I, which is secured to the vehicle body by suitable means, not shown, and is adapted to prevent lateral displacement of the tubular member. Formed on the tubular member is a projecting rib 'l2 which is vadapted to slide within a groove I3 provided in the annular portion I0 for preventing rotation of the tubular member in operation. A coil spring 15 of greater diameter than the tubular member 69 is fitted around the member for biasing it downwardly, the spring being interposed between the sleeve portion 6l of the sand hopper and an external shoulder 'I6 f ozmed on the tubular member intermediate its en s.

A fluid pressure operated valve assembly is provided for controlling the supply of sand from the sanding apparatus and for effecting movement of the tubular member G9Y toward and away from the rail. The valve assembly comprises a conical valve 'I8 having a central lug 'I9 and adapted to be urged upwardly into seating engagement with the bottom face of the tubular member, and a vertically disposed'operating rod 80, which has its lower end pivotally secured to the lug 'I9 by means of a pin 8| and has its upper end secured by welding or other suitable means lll Interpos'ed between the piston "82 and thecylinder 83 is a heavy coilispring 81, which exerts a relatively great force and is adapted to act through the medium of the piston 82, rod 80 and sandvalve 18 for maintaining the tubular member 69 in the normal position as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the upper end of the tubular member being held in engagement with the surface of the hopper 65 between the portions 66 and 61.

The piston 82 has secured thereto a flexible sealing cup 88 and is subject to the pressure of fluid in a piston chamber 89 formed in the cylinder 83. A sanding valve device 90 is provided for controlling the supply and release of fluid under pressure to and from the piston chamber 89, which device comprises a casing having a chamber 92 connected through a pipe 93 with the piston chamber, a normally seated supply valve 94 controlling communication between the chamber 92 and a reservoir 95, and a release valve 99 normally connecting the chamber 92 to the atmosphere. The sanding valve device is provided with a plunger 91 by means of which the valves 94 and 96 may be operated from their normal positions to unseated and seated positions, respectively, to supply fluid under pressure for operating the sanding device as hereinafter explained.

A shoe nozzle or sanding shoe |00, similar to the sanding shoe 50 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is secured to the lowermost portion of the tubular member 69 by suitable means, not shown, and is adapted to be moved into and out of sliding engagement with the rail |9| in advance of the vehicle wheel 82. The sanding shoe |00, like the shoe 50' shown in Fig. l, may be made of a flexible material such as rubber composition, and comprises a body portion |04 having a circular opening |05 and adapted to be fitted over the lowermost portion of the tubular member 69, and a trailing portion |96 reinforced by an external rib |01 and provided with a longitudinally disposed groove or channel |08 formed in the lower rail engaging face thereof. The channel |08 communicates with the circular opening |05 as shown in Fig. 6. A leading face |09 of the body portion |843 is inclined as shown in the drawings for enabling the shoe to override uneven portions of the rail such as at the joints.

In order to condition the sanding device shown in Fig. 6 for operation, sand is supplied to the hopper 85 and lls the tubular portion 69 and the tubular member 89, the sand being retained within the tubular member B9 by the valve 18, which is normally held in engagement with the lowermost portion of the tubular member by the force of the spring 81 acting through the medium of the piston 82 and the rod 80. When the operator desires to eiect the sanding of the rail, he moves the plunger 91 of the sanding valve device 90 downwardly, thereby seating the release valve 95 while unseating the supply valve 94. Fluid under pressure is then supplied from the reservoir 95 past the unseated valve 94 and through the pipe 93 to the piston chamber 89 in the sanding apparatus. The pressure of fluid in the chamber 89 acts against the piston 82 and, overcoming the force of the spring 81, moves the piston and the connected operating rod 80 and lower face of vthe shoe engages the rail ||it being understood that during this initial movement the valve 18 remains seated on the tubular member to prevent escape of sand therefrom.

Upon engagement of the sanding shoe |09 with the rail lill, further downward movement of the tubular member 69 is prevented, and as the piston 82 continues its downward movement under the pressure of fluid in the chamber 89, the rod 89 is thereby operated to move the conical valve 18 out of seated engagement with the tubular member S9, so that sand contained in the tubular'member 69`is` free to'iiow therefrom past the valve 18 and'through the opening |05 in the sanding-shoe to the rail l0 I.

Referring to Fig. 7 of the drawings, it will be noted that the length of the operating rod 80 is such that with the piston 82 in its lowermost position within the cylinder 83, the unseated /llve 18 is prevented from engaging the rail As the sand is thus supplied through the tubular member -89 and the opening in the sanding shoe l|89 to the rail, forward movement of the shoe |00 along the track effects the formation of the sand into a narrow ribbon or layer which issues from the open end of the channel |08 in the trailing portion |06, as is best shown in Fig. '1. It will be understood that the capacity of the tubular member 69 and of the shoe |00 to deposit sand on the rail is such that when the vehicle is traveling at maximum speed, the layer of sand deposited on the rail will be of the desired thickness as predetermined by the size of the channel |88 in the shoe E00. of the Vehicle is decreased, the rate at which sand is supplied to the rail will become correspondingly less, since the sand can issue from the shoe |00 only in accordance with the rate at which the sand is overpassed by the trailing portion |06. It will thus be seen that the quantity of sand delivered from the hopper 65 is automatically determined by the speed at which the vehicle is driven along the tracks, so that adequate sanding of the rail is insured regardless of the speed of the vehicle. For the same reason, if the vehicle is brought to a stop with the sanding shoe |90 still in engagement with the rail |0I, no appreciable amount of sand will be wasted, since the sand within the tubular member 89 is held back by the sand confined within the opening and the channel |88.

When it is desired to retract the sanding shoe |00 from the rail, the plunger 91 of the sanding valve device 90 is released, so that the supply valve 94 and the release valve 96 are permitted to assume their seated and unseated positions, respectively. Fluid under pressure is thereby vented from the piston chamber 89 in the cylinder 83 to the atmosphere by way of the pipe 93 and past the unseated valve 96, and the spring 81 then becomes effective to lift upwardly the piston 82, the rod 80 and the valve 18. Upon engagement of the valve 18 with the lower end of the tubular member 69, that member and the sanding shoe |00' are likewise shifted upwardly as the spring 81 continues to expand, it being remembered that the spring 81 has sufficient power to overcome both the force of spring and the weight of the several movable elements.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that, according to the invention, novel rail sanding means is provided for supplying sand to a rail in the form of a continuous ribbon or layer of predetermined thickness, so that, regardless of the As the speed i speed at which the vehicle is operated, substantially al1 of the sand supplied becomes available for increasing the adhesion between the vehicle wheels and the rail.

While two illustrative embodiments of. the invention have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its` scope to those embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a rail sanding device for a railway vehicle, a flexible sand forming shoe comprising a body portion having a passage and asand forming portion having a rail engaging face, said face having a longitudinal channel therein communicating with said opening, said channel being closed at the forward end and open at the rear, means for moving said shoe into sliding engagement with the rail, and means for supplying sand to the rail through said passage and said channel in the shoe, the channeled portion of said shoe being adapted to form the sand thus supplied into a continuous layer along the rail.

2. In a track sanding apparatus for a railway vehicle, in combination, sand supply means including an element having a sand conduit, a tubular member slidably mounted on said ele-V ment and movable toward and away from the track, a sand-forming shoe secured toI the free end of said tubular member, said shoe having a channeled face adapted to engage the track for depositing sand thereon, a stationary strut arm having a guide portion operatively engaging the end of said tubular member adjacent the shoe for preventing lateral displacement thereof., and means for operating said tubular member to effeet movement of said shoe into and out cf engagement with the track. Y

3. A rail sanding device for a railway vehicle comprising a sand hopper having a fluid pressure chamber, a movable shoe suspended from said hopper and provided with a face adapted to engage the rail and having a discharge aperture connected to said hopper, sanding means for controlling the supply of sand through said aperture in the shoe, movable abutment means controllingthe positioning o-f said shoe and operative by Yiluid under pressure to effect lowering of said shoe into engagement with the rail, and duid pressure controlling means for causing cooperation of said sanding means and said movable abutment means to lay sand on the rail in the form of a ribbon issuing from said aperture during engagement of said shoe with the rail.

4. A rail sanding apparatus for a railway vehicle comprising,in combination, a casing having a iluid pressure chamber and having a passageway to which sand is adapted to be supplied, a movable sand forming shoe adapted to engage the rail and having an aperture connected to said passageway, Vmovable abutment means operative on an increase in the pressurev of fluid in said chamber for moving said shoe into engagement with the rail, sand ejecting means'actuated by fluid under p-ressure from said chamber for supplying sand throughsaid'passagewayV and 'the aperture in'said shoe, and means for controlling the supply of uid under .pressure to said chamber. f

5. A rail sanding apparatus for a railway vehicle comprising, in combination, sand supply means including an. element having a conduit through which sand is adapted to pass, a tubular member slidably mounted on said element and carrying on one end an annular piston subject to the pressure of fluid in a chamber, a sand discharging shoe secured to the other end of said tubular member and engageable with the rail, a strut arm having a. guide portion operatively engaging the portion of said Vtubular member adjacent the shoe for preventing lateral displacement thereof, a coil spring surrounding said tubular member and interposed between thestrut guide portion and the piston for biasing said member away from the rail, and means for supplying fluid under pressure tc said chamber to effect movement of the shoe into engagement with the rail while sand is supplied thereto through said conduit and said shoe.

6. In a rail sanding apparatus for a railway vehicle, sand supply means, a sand-laying shoe adapted to engage the rail and having an orifice through which sand from said supply means may Y be discharged, sand valve means controlling the supply of sand through said orifice, yieldable retracting means operative normally to close said valve means and to position said shoe `out of engagement with the rail, and actuating means operative rst to effect movement of. said shoe into sliding engagement with the rail and then to open said valve means for supplying sand to said orifice.

7. In a vehicle carried rail sanding apparatus, in combination, sand supply means, a sand-laying shoe adapted to engage the rail and having an aperture through which sand from said supply means may be discharged, sand valve means controlling the sup-ply of sand to sand aperture, yieldable retracting means operative normally toclose said valve means and to position. said shoe out of engagement with the rail, and a movable abutment subject to the pressure of fluid in a chamber, said abutment being operative on an increase in fluidpressure rst to cause said shoe lar member adjacent said shoe to control the.

supply of sand through said aperture, spring means normally operative to hold said Valve element in engagement with said tubular member and thereby to maintain said shoe out of engagement with the rail, and fluid pressure responsive means adapted to operate through the medium of said valve element for effecting movevment of said shoe into engagement with the rail and for unseating said valve element to permit the flow of sand through said aperture.

9. A track sanding apparatus for a railway vehicle comprising sand supply means including a portion having a sand conduit, a tubular member slidably mounted on said portion and movable toward and away from the track, a sandlaying shoe carried on the free end of said tubular member and provided with a rail engaging face having a longitudinal channel communicating with the passage in said vtubular member,

fluid pressure actuated suspending means 0,0111-V trolling the positioning of said tubular member and shoe and operative on an increase in uid pressure to effect downward movement of said tubular memberto bring said shoe into sliding engagement with the rail, sanding means responsive to an increase in uid pressure for controlling the ow of sand through said tubular member and shoe, and uid pressure control means operable to eiect supply of fluid under pressure to both said uid pressure actuated means and said sanding means, so that sand is deposited on the rail in the form of a layer issuing from the channel in said shoe during sliding engagement thereof With the rail.

BURTON S. AIKMAN. 

